South Shetland Islands
Last night we left Enterprise Island and headed northeast into the Gerlache straight which contained scattered beautiful icebergs on the starboard side, the majestic Antarctic Peninsula on the other. There was very nice early light as we awoke in Morton Straight with calm seas and a grey sky with a usual temperature of 32º F. With ice carved Livingston Island on our port and Snow Island on Starboard we made our approach. By 0830 we landed on Snow Island in a sheltered cove due to our skillful Zodiac drivers who got us both on and off shore very dry. The sun came out and we experienced a walk on the beach with elephant seals, kelp gulls, giant petrel, and chinstraps. The behavior of the seals both young and old was memorable.
On the way to Deception Island around 1400 we spotted humpbacks among the icebergs; we had close encounters including breaches and fluke waiving. By 1600 the National Geographic Endeavour parked into the caldera of Deception in the shore fast ice and we had a nice walk above water but on ice. While hot dogs and tea were served on fast ice a multinational football (soccer) game was going on, it was a surreal experience. We then repositioned the ship closer to the slightly warm waters off the coast along the beach in Pendulum cove for our first and only Antarctic swim. At the end of the day we watched David's beautiful underwater film from the past few days.
Last night we left Enterprise Island and headed northeast into the Gerlache straight which contained scattered beautiful icebergs on the starboard side, the majestic Antarctic Peninsula on the other. There was very nice early light as we awoke in Morton Straight with calm seas and a grey sky with a usual temperature of 32º F. With ice carved Livingston Island on our port and Snow Island on Starboard we made our approach. By 0830 we landed on Snow Island in a sheltered cove due to our skillful Zodiac drivers who got us both on and off shore very dry. The sun came out and we experienced a walk on the beach with elephant seals, kelp gulls, giant petrel, and chinstraps. The behavior of the seals both young and old was memorable.
On the way to Deception Island around 1400 we spotted humpbacks among the icebergs; we had close encounters including breaches and fluke waiving. By 1600 the National Geographic Endeavour parked into the caldera of Deception in the shore fast ice and we had a nice walk above water but on ice. While hot dogs and tea were served on fast ice a multinational football (soccer) game was going on, it was a surreal experience. We then repositioned the ship closer to the slightly warm waters off the coast along the beach in Pendulum cove for our first and only Antarctic swim. At the end of the day we watched David's beautiful underwater film from the past few days.
